Steps to successful planting
Whether you’d usually call yourself green-fingered or not, there are always a number of steps you must remember to take to ensure your seeds or bulbs grow well before and after planting. When looking for top tips to successful planting, trust in Court Farm to provide you with exceptional advice that’ll help any new or experienced gardener.
What you’ll need
Knee padsGloves
Towel
Flowers/bulbs/seeds
Topsoil
Small watering can
Preparing the ground (good soil)
To ensure your soil is the best it can be for the flowers you intend to plant, find out what type of soil they flourish in and purchase the appropriate topsoil. It doesn’t matter whether you’re planting in a pot or in the garden – the best soil will give them the important nutrients they need to grow. For a thriving garden, understand and research what your plants need. There are 6 different types of soil:Sandy
Silty
Clay
Peaty
Saline
Loamy
Location of the plant in terms of sunlight
Flowers can’t just be grown anywhere in your garden as too much shade and too much heat can make it difficult for them to develop. Depending on the type of flowers you wish to plant, there will be varying degree of sunlight required. When planting your flowers you must remember that light is food to them, so obviously the more they get, the more they will grow – however, if they’re in the sunlight all day, the heat can cause their vital inner processes to shut down. It’s best to choose a location that offers your plant part shade and part sun throughout the day.How much room you’ll need between plants
There are dangers of planting flowers too close to one another and it’s quite obvious, really. If it rains well and you have lots of plants close together, it will be difficult for them to dry out, which means they can be a target for fungus – causing them to rot. They will also have to compete for nutrients in the soil, which can mean some flowers won’t grow as well as others. For appropriate healthy spacing between plants, you must consider how big they will become and leave enough room for growth.Tips on digging the hole
If you’re planting seeds, you will not need to dig a deep hole – half a centimetre will suffice and sprinkle topsoil to cover. If you are planting bulbs, you will need to dig a deeper hole around 8-12 cm deep. For ready-to-plant flowers, just dig a hole that’s as deep as their fully formed roots. Never compact the soil once you cover the hole back up, a gentle press will be more than enough. If the soil is too compact, water will find it hard to seep through and the plant will struggle to grow upwards and out.Tips for specific types? (plants, trees, shrubs)
– Roses:
Are prone to catching fungal diseases including rust and mildew, so for this flower, spacing is incredibly important if you wish to maintain good growth and good health. Plant a rose with a gap that’s two-thirds its fully grown height.
– Planting trees:
Autumn is the best time to plant a tree and before you plant the tree, loosen the soil and its roots. Make sure that the hole is deep enough and a little wider than the pot you’ve removed it from. Once you’ve placed the tree into the hole, add soil, soil improver and fertiliser. Finally, add a stake and tie to the tree. This will prevent the tree from drooping and to help it achor its roots firmly in the ground.
– Planting bare rooted shrubs/trees and plants:
Place your plant’s roots in a bucket of water for a good hour. Find the ‘soil line’ on the base of each plant, this will give you a good indication as to how deep the hole should be. Place the roots of your plant into the hole and add bonemeal to the soil before filling the hole again. Make sure you get rid of air pockets to ensure the plant has enough anchorage in the ground. Then give your plant a good watering.
For more information or advice, contact Court Farm today to cover all your gardening and maintenance needs. With over 40 years of experience in the horticulture industry, you can guarantee you’re in good hands. We extend our services throughout Wimbledon, Epsom, Surbiton, New Malden, Worcester Park, Esher, Teddington, Richmond, Kingston, Wallington, Banstead and Kingswood.
